A growing number of pet owners treat their pets with the same care they provide to themselves and others. Many have shifted their mindsets on what it means to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle and are looking to do the same for their cats and dogs—and this includes their approach to their pets’ skin care and wound treatment.

“Humans have been gravitating towards a more preventive health approach for the past decade,” said Pete Stirling, co-founder and CEO of Skout’s Honor Pet Supply Co., an Oceanside, Calif.-based manufacturer of probiotic grooming and wellness products. “It’s only natural that the trend flows into pet products, especially now that millennials play such a large role in the market.”

Debra Decker, director of marketing for Westmont, Ill.-based Pet King Brands, the manufacturer of Zymox enzyme-based products, has also noticed how the consumer mindset has changed.

“There is a saying that when one knows better, one can do better,” Decker said. “As pet parents have become more educated on health and prevention of illness in themselves, they’ve worked to do better for their pets [by] applying the knowledge gained.”

As a result, natural remedies have not only gained in popularity in the human health and wellness space, but also in similar pet product categories.

“Today’s pet parents are seeking information and consuming it at high rates from the internet, veterinarians, groomers and fellow pet parents,” Decker said. “[This drives up] the demand for functional skin and wound products that work naturally and are nontoxic.”

In general, “natural” pet products are widely considered to be those that are made with naturally occurring ingredients.

“When it comes to natural skin and wound care, ‘natural’ generally means sourced from nature,” Decker said. “It can extend further to mean nontoxic and benefitting the health of a pet by working with the pet’s body to naturally overcome a health problem without the intervention of antibiotics.”

Pet King Brands’ Zymox products are made with a patented enzyme formulation that is nontoxic and naturally derived. The formulation serves as a therapeutic catalyst to form antibacterial and antifungal properties, Decker said.

“When managing problematic skin, the enzymes interact with a byproduct produced by the body to begin the natural healing process,” Decker said. “Because of this natural process, Zymox is known for its effectiveness and no pre-cleaning requirements.”

At Skout’s Honor, Stirling said “natural” means non-medicated alternatives, which are plant and mineral derived.

“In the last year, we expanded our probiotic wellness category with our Probiotic HotSpot Hydrogel,” Stirling said. “[It’s] 100 percent natural and non-medicated, with aloe and algin that soothes, heals and protects wounds including hot spots, skin abrasions, lacerations, cuts, burns and irritated skin.”

Stirling explained that addressing the underlying causes of skin irritations is essential to treating common canine skin conditions.

“A natural approach is preventative and puts overall health and wellness first, so that the animal is never uncomfortable in the first place and can share their best life with a parent,” he said.

Natural skin and wound care pet products are often viewed as alternatives to potentially harsh medical interventions, industry insiders said.

“We’re seeing more pet parents becoming comfortable with at-home care of minor wounds or skin issues,” said Geoff Hamby, director of marketing at Vetericyn, an animal wellness pet product manufacturer in Rialto, Calif. 

While many skin-related issues may still require a vet visit, Hamby said there are equally as many that the owner can manage. At Vetericyn, natural products include ones that can be easily identified with a known root source.

“Our Vetericyn Plus line of products contain synthesized hypochlorous acid, a revolutionary molecule that is also found in the human body,” Hamby said. “This is about as natural as it gets.” 

According to Hamby, hypochlorous technology effectively alleviates irritation and eradicates dangerous bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), ringworm, yeast, parvo and staph. 

“It does it without harming the healthy tissue surrounding the area, which many other treatments do,” he said. “Proper wound management speeds up healing time while providing relief to the animals.”

In-home care is one of the few ways pet owners can manage ailments before seeking veterinary care. Hamby said the growth in the natural skin and wound care category can be attributed to great results from these products. However, consulting with a veterinarian before administering treatments is always a good idea, he added.

A familiar at-home pet care routine may include regular bathing. Vetericyn has developed a regular pet shampoo line and the FoamCare medicated line. 

“It’s an incredible foam that uses a trigger system,” Hamby said. “It allows the pet owner to quickly spray on the product rather than manually work it over the dog’s entire body.”

The pet shampoo makes bathing time fast and frustration free for pet owners, mainly because the foam is also easier to rinse than most other shampoos, Hamby added.

Visits to the vet and even groomers can be stressful for some dogs, especially for those with sensitive skin conditions. Having natural products at home is just one way to make life less stressful for pets and their owners, insiders said.

“Ensuring pets live long, healthy and happy lives is the ultimate goal,” Decker said. “It comes as no surprise that pet parents want products that will help to prevent a problem from occurring or manage it if it does.”

Providing relief for allergic skin requires attention to detail, Decker noted.

“Instead of reaching for a product that will sting or strip the coat or can have side effects, [pet owners] can use Zymox enzymatic skin products,” she said. “This line of products includes veterinarian-recommended shampoo and leave-in conditioner and topical spray and cream.”

The antibiotic alternatives feature a naturally derived and patented combination of enzymes (the LP3 Enzyme System) to provide soothing relief to itchy skin, ringworm and skin infections, Decker said.

Having natural skin and wound care products in various price ranges at pet stores is advantageous for both the business and the consumer, insiders said.

“We want to have multiple solutions for issues, even if it’s thinking outside of the box,” said Kim McCohan, chief happiness officer for Bend Pet Express, which has two stores in Bend, Ore. 

“Having something in a lower price range is warranted if there’s nothing that can accomplish the same thing with better materials, or having stock of products that can’t be found online, with unrealistic prices for us to match.”

CountryMax, which has 18 stores in New York, offers a whole shelf of product covering every price point.

“It’s important to give customers a full continuum of options because sometimes the simple, affordable remedies turn out best,” said Jeff Reibert, product buyer at CountryMax. 

For pet stores, the retail staff is the frontline for providing education and assistance to prospective buyers. Since there isn’t an industry definition for what a “natural” product is, consumers may have many questions about natural skin and wound care products, and that’s where an educated staff can help.

“Product education is always necessary,” said Pete Stirling, co-founder and CEO of Skout’s Honor Pet Supply Co., an Oceanside, Calif.-based manufacturer of probiotic grooming and wellness products. “At Skout’s, we like to refer to it as the ‘whole product offering.’ Customer support and product education are just as important as a bottle on the shelf.”

It is vital for manufacturers of natural skin and wound care products to provide comprehensive education to stores carrying their brands, allowing retailers to thoroughly understand product effectiveness, according to industry insiders. 

“A retailer that provides great educational content can really see an improvement in foot traffic,” said Geoff Hamby, director of marketing at Vetericyn, an animal wellness pet product manufacturer in Rialto, Calif. “Blogging, social media and in-store classes are all great ways [manufacturers] can educate retailers [and therefore their customers].”

Having the right mix of products is essential, but education also plays a critical role, Hamby explained.

“Wound and skin care is most often a reactionary practice, so it’s important to get pet owners thinking about injuries before they happen,” Hamby said. “Seeing your pet hurt is a terrible thing, and we want pet owners to feel empowered to [buy products] that help provide relief and get a jumpstart on healing.”

Manufacturer-provided educational materials are also great resources for retailers.

“The retailers who stock Zymox have had good success sharing information by taking advantage of point-of-purchase displays and offering product brochures,” said Debra Decker, director of marketing for Pet King Brands, the Westmont, Ill.-based manufacturer of Zymox enzyme-based products. “Retailers can take advantage of live, interactive product training sessions conducted via the web.” 

Providing the right products that pet owners need combined with an educated staff that will help shoppers be successful can help retailers to build customer loyalty, insiders said.

“An educated customer is a repeat customer,” said Tara Belzer, owner of Pet in the City, a pet store in Charlotte, N.C. “It builds trust and loyalty when you educate [your customers].”

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